October marked Tyre Safety Month and in support of the annual campaign Goodyear checked the tyre treads of over 850 vehicles on Birmingham Business Park with the support of local tyre and autocare centre, HiQ Easy Autos.
As a committed corporate supporter of TyreSafe, the UK’s charity dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of correct tyre maintenance and the dangers of defective and illegal tyres, Goodyear decided to focus its activity on neighbours to its UK headquarters on Birmingham Business Park.
A team of eight fully trained Goodyear and HiQ Easy Autos employees took to the car parks of several businesses on the park including Rolls Royce, Arval, Adecco and SSP and measured the tread depths on their vehicles leaving an advice leaflet on every car checked.
The activity gained positive response from workers on the park with most vehicles checked having over 3mm of tread depth left on their tyres, only a small percentage of vehicles needed immediate attention which was offered by HiQ Easy Autos on the day.
ate Rock-Rees, PR & Corporate Communications Manager at Goodyear commented: “Drivers shouldn’t be complacent about tyre safety as more than half are driving on poorly maintained or defective tyres, with 57% of tyres underinflated and 27% already illegal when they are replaced.
“Tyre-related incidents cause around 1000 casualties a year on our roads, and nearly 200 of these are killed or seriously injured. According to Department for Transport figures, there are significantly more casualties caused by tyre-related incidents than by drivers distracted by mobile phone use.
“These statistics indicate why it’s important to check your tyre tread depths regularly, particularly as the weather is starting to deteriorate. We were pleased with the outcome of the activity we undertook and were impressed with the condition of the tyres on the cars on the business park.”
How to check your tyres
The legal minimum tread depth for cars in the UK is 1.6mm throughout a continuous band comprising the central three-quarters of breadth of the tread and around its entire outer circumference.
A quick and easy way to see if your tyre tread exceed the minimum legal tread depth is to take the 20p test. Simply place a 20p coin into the main tread grooves of your tyre. If the outer band of the 20p coin is obscured when it is inserted, then your tread is above the legal limit.
If the outer band of the coin is visible, then your tyres may be illegal and unsafe and should be checked immediately by a qualified tyre professional.
When taking the test, remember to check at least three locations around each tyre. As the test is so quick and easy, stay safe by checking your tyres at least once a month.
